New "tank". The attack VTOL Orca

As cool as a flying machine would be, does anyone realize how dangerous a "toy" of that magnitude would be. More importantly, I am a poor fellow. My helio walks because its all I can afford. That is of course someone has the secrets to Anti-gravity and will to share.

On a side note, I may have to consider a cargo variant for next year. Maybe a sort of chinook style lifter, but ducted fans....humm. I'd anyone builds it before me, all I ask is for a pics and a little credit for the idea..

Oh something else to enjoy. Our tank from '09 Decay of Nation III

THAT TANK IS SICK! I cant believe someone made a "Chimera" from the warhammer 40k universe

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"Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for!?" :D

someone noticed. most of our gear is either a representation of Warhammer vehicle, or our basis for new gear.
The Adeptus Mechanicus has sent out agent to purge the hersey that is our equipment, but the Machine god, Omnissiah watches over us

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Decay of Nation VII
"I need that DAMN tank blown off my battle field, before it ......"
Last communique from unknown One World Bank Security Force.

For those of you who are using those variations on the walking tank, might I suggest a metal cup protector, with hockey shorts, thigh pads improvised from football rib protectors, and hockey shin and knee guards? Then cut some pieces from some high density foam and place it on the backs of your legs before strapping the rest on. Remember, future generations may depend on this!

For leg protection I cut out a piece of tarp, hammered rivets to the tarp, and cable tied it to the bottom frame of my walker. The first couple times I tested the walker it was at walkon games and I had no leg protection. I took a few shots to the legs and feet but with paintball pants and hiking boots I didn't really notice. The next 2 games were scenarios and that is when I added the tarp. I'm glad I did because people were shooting at my legs all day trying to make me wuss out. With the tarp it didn't faze me. The only problem was that I cut it too long and didn't use enough grommets so I kept stepping on it and popping the cable ties and grommets. For the next 2 games I trimmed the tarp shorter and doubled the number of grommets. Players still shoot several cases of paint at my feet but only one or two ever hits my legs. Initially I was going to used paintball netting instead of tarp but that would have gotten tangled in the brush. With the tarp I can play in shorts Spring, Summer, and Fall as it gets hot carrying the tank and all my gear.

Yes, Leg Protection along with the family jewels. I used a shop apron after I persuaded the wife to sew enough pockets in it for 30 Nerfs. Didn't do much for the back of the legs but it motivates me to never turn and retreat. Just attack until you die gloriously. But you need SOME Protection. He thought it was silly to put cardboard in his sweatpants. He changed his mind.

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Carefully planned irresponsibility is the KEY to mental health.

Wieght: is @40-55lbs dry
Weapon: Tippman X-7 on remote line.
Tank holder is built in.
View ports are wire mesh
It handled very well considering it long tail boom

Upgrade:
Have removed ducted fans (@10lbs)
Need to reduce open mesh. Under extreme fire blinding issues
Very hard to aim. Visually the gun needs to be where it is,
Functionally, needs to be chest to shoulder height.
Minor issues with strut breaking, need to either reinforce strut or
Increase pipe diameter

__________________
Decay of Nation VII
"I need that DAMN tank blown off my battle field, before it ......"
Last communique from unknown One World Bank Security Force.

Limited use due to heat, however my pilot reported during the mech on mech gladiator fight it was a very stable missile platform with the addition of tube ports on both the left and right upper corner of the front mesh. Held it's own verse the body suit style mechs.
Only a few small complains. It was little heavy over the 3 hours run in 100+ degree weather. Also was unable to aim properly due to weapon placement.

__________________
Decay of Nation VII
"I need that DAMN tank blown off my battle field, before it ......"
Last communique from unknown One World Bank Security Force.

Got a few new projects in the planning stages. Will try to get those threads started as soon as work begins.
Towed Artillery (project transferred)
Heavy Machine Gun (under construction)
Production Mechs suits (prototyping in progress -TOP SECRET-)

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Decay of Nation VII
"I need that DAMN tank blown off my battle field, before it ......"
Last communique from unknown One World Bank Security Force.

Playing the the heat is tough enough but hauling a mech around is even tougher. Heck, I'm 60 and the refs just give me the "I'm not doing CPR on you in that thing", look. The nice ones ask if I'm staying hydrated and not to over do it... Wife wanted me to get a stress tests last year. "But honey, I came home alive." Isn't that a pass.......? Got one anyway. The had to crank it up to get my pulse rate and BP up enough to trigger any weird beats. Didn't skip a beat. See, paintball is GOOD for you.....

__________________
Carefully planned irresponsibility is the KEY to mental health.

Read the specs. Yes you need to get rid of the wire which is a ball slicer and mask sprayer. It will be difficult to use netting that will actually bounce a ball without breaking. Window is just too small to trampoline a ball without breaking. BUT there ARE things you can do. Hem the netting and insert that 1/8" bunge cord. Then mount THAT with a screw to the frame. That way the 'frame' of the netting will stretch and increase the bounce factor. Extend the netting DOWN a foot or so below the opening. That will allow the netting to stretch more and you will get more bounces and fewer breaks on the netting.

A suggestion for the front netting. Don't even attach it at the bottom. I had a guy with this set up in his walker and he said the balls would just hit it and drop straight down into a bag he rigged. Free paint if you don't mind some gooh on it..

__________________
Carefully planned irresponsibility is the KEY to mental health.

Our crew got volun-told that we are a part of an event involving Vietnam game called the Tet-Offense. Think I could easily transform the VTOL into an attack chopper. I will try the net idea during that rebuild.

Bad news.
The VTOL is being retired. (at least for now)
We have had some changes in our design philosophy, and the chopper does not fit in well to it.
Team president has been tasked with finding a home for it.
Time to start the next great project.

__________________
Decay of Nation VII
"I need that DAMN tank blown off my battle field, before it ......"
Last communique from unknown One World Bank Security Force.

Well, tell us about you new design philosophy. What you learned to do and not to do with your first build. What are the improvments planned for the next one. I'm on my 3rd walker build and with each one I find upgrades and faults with the best design so far. I just keep building.

Had a glue joint failure and it needs repair. However, my next build was going to be a different and LIGHTER design where the canopy would be shorter and relocating the pod carrying magazine down the sides of the canopy/cockpit. Flirting with just going ahead and rebuilding the canopy rather than repair it. It is a never ending process which is great if you like to tinker..

Take the chicken legs off my walker and add a tail and rotor and you have one of these. A ALICE backpack frame lends itself to plane and helo designs.

__________________
Carefully planned irresponsibility is the KEY to mental health.

I started a thread for mech designs for this purpose, however in specific with helio, shoppers, and other VTOL designs I can tell you this.
1. As always lighter is better. Lighter the load, the longer the play time.
2. Tail booms suck. You are always hitting thing behind you and getting stuck, if your not careful, in closed in areas.
With that said, they offer a beautiful facade: very air worthy, and makes for great team identifiers.
So keep them as short as possible without major comprising your look. And practice moving like an airplane an not a helicopter. Don't turn on the spot. Do sweeping turns. It minimizes tail "smack" both on players and structures.
3. Take your time to balance your load. Remember that a little weight on a long stick gets very heavy due to leverage. A imbalance load will make you life HELL.
On that note, make sure your pack fits well and is secure.
* you can find the newer style plastic ALICE frames at your same surplus dealers for about the same cost as the metal ones. They fit far better then the metal ones and provide back support (and the peasants rejoice) *
Everything else we learned is more of a universal improvement rather then a VTOL specific
So hope that helps. I'll post more on the other stuff later this week on the other thread

__________________
Decay of Nation VII
"I need that DAMN tank blown off my battle field, before it ......"
Last communique from unknown One World Bank Security Force.